"Huh?" Afraid of dropping it, Chen Xiang instinctively took the box, her hands sinking from the weight.
A closer look revealed an intricately carved peony in the center of the red lacquered wood box. In the bottom-left corner, a column of small characters was engraved: "Yanhong Studio."
"This..." Chen Xiang was at a loss, holding what was said to be the finest box of cosmetics from the Divine Capital.
"Open it and take a look," Li Qingxian said, smiling at his sister.
Chen Xiang stared at Li Qingxian, momentarily stunned. For some reason, she felt that even though she hadn’t seen her little brother in only two months, he had suddenly matured, carrying himself with a new presence he’d lacked before.
While sawing a bamboo tube, Chen Zhu added, "Qingxian is different now. That Room Leader of the Street Patrol Room is a Seventh-Grade Official, same as the County Magistrate from our hometown. But he was incredibly warm to me, calling me ’Brother Chen’ and even personally arranging a carriage to take me home."
Zhang Fang hastily wiped her son’s face, walked over to Chen Xiang, and craned her neck to look. Her eyes widened. "I recognize that peony! Is it from Yanhong Studio? A box like this must cost at least..."
Zhang Fang didn’t dare say the number aloud.
"It’s... it’s too expensive..." Chen Xiang slowly set the cosmetics box on the table, though her eyes remained fixed on it, her pretty face flushing slightly.
Zhang Fang said hurriedly, "That’s right, don’t open it. We can still return it..."
Li Qingxian reached out, snapped the seals, and opened the box.
A bright silver mirror, enchanted with Magic, gleamed on the inside of the lid. The exquisite two-tiered box held an array of colorful rouges and powders.
"Little brother..." Chen Xiang called out softly.
Li Qingxian smiled. "I said it’s a gift for you, and I meant it."
"But it’s just too expensive..." Chen Xiang demurred.
"What about me? What about me?" Chen Yuanpeng propped himself up on the table, jumping up and down as he searched around wildly.
"This is for you!"
As he spoke, Li Qingxian took out a brown sheepskin coat. The wool lining the collar and cuffs was soft and white.
Chen Yuanpeng’s eyes instantly reddened. Even though it was the middle of summer, he grabbed it and started putting it on.
He had just gotten it on when sweat broke out on his forehead. Zhang Fang yanked it off him, scolding, "Are you trying to get a heat rash? Wait until autumn. I’ll go put it away safely."
Chen Xiang looked at Li Qingxian, her eyes crinkling in a smile. Last winter, Chen Yuanpeng had gone out in a new cotton-padded jacket, only to run home crying in the same jacket, now torn. He’d said the other children had made fun of him for not having a proper fur coat and had ripped his. He was so upset that he refused to go outside for three days.
"Let’s go inside. I also brought some silks and satins."
The four of them went into the house. Chen Yuanpeng’s little hand clutched the sleeve of his sheepskin coat, not letting go, wishing he could wear it outside that very moment.
Stepping over the threshold, they entered the central hall. On one side was the stove with an altar to the Kitchen God; on the other were a table and chairs.
At the far end of the hall, an altar to the God of Wealth held an incense burner and candles.
The four entered the east room where Zhang Fang and Chen Zhu lived. With a flourish, Li Qingxian unloaded stacks of linen, silk, and satin into a pile.
"That’s enough, that’s enough! We can’t possibly use all this, we really can’t..." his aunt, Zhang Fang, said, rushing to grab Li Qingxian’s hand.
Chen Xiang added, "Times are tough. Even if we had things like silk, we wouldn’t dare wear them out."
"Hmph, what’s there to be scared of?" the little grubby boy muttered, his eyes fixed on the sheepskin coat as his small hand stroked it gently.
"From now on, if you need anything at home, just tell me. Come on, Sis, let’s go put the cosmetics box away safely." Li Qingxian took the heavy box, pushed aside the fabric curtain leading to the west room, and placed it on Chen Xiang’s vanity.
The room was somewhat dim and the furnishings were old, but the mahogany vanity was a personal creation of Chen Zhu, the carpenter, and it was exceptionally grand. It had been intended as part of her dowry.
Just a few days before Chen Xiang was to be married, her fiancé, who suffered from consumption, passed away. After that, Chen Xiang was labeled a jinx, and to this day, no man has dared to marry her.
Chen Xiang was three years older than Li Qingxian, but children from poor families mature quickly, and she had been exceptionally sensible since she was little.
Li Qingxian’s mother had been frail and sickly. His aunt had cared for him as a newborn, and as he grew, Chen Xiang took over. Especially in the days following his mother’s death, Li Qingxian practically lived at his aunt’s home, sharing his meals and sleeping alongside Chen Xiang.
Between the two families, there were three children. Chen Yuanpeng was born much later, so Chen Xiang and Li Qingxian had always been closer.
Since he was small, Chen Yuanpeng had been jealous of Li Qingxian, believing he had stolen his sister’s affection. He’d rebelled over it many times, only to be soundly put in his place by Li Qingxian, after which he finally learned to behave.
Li Qingxian glanced at his beautiful sister, then peeked toward the east room. He furtively took out two paper-wrapped parcels and whispered, "I bought you your favorite flaky pastries. We can eat one now, but hide the other. Eat it yourself when you get a craving. Don’t let Yuanpeng see it."
"Oh? Okay!" Chen Xiang also glanced furtively toward the door, then gave a sweet smile. She took one bag of pastries, wrapped it in a cloth, and, standing on her tiptoes, stuffed it into the top of the wardrobe, hiding it under some clothes.
Chen Xiang turned back. The two of them exchanged a knowing smile and walked out of the room together.
Li Qingxian opened the remaining paper parcel, picked out a pastry, and handed it to Chen Xiang.
Cupping one hand under the other to catch any crumbs, Chen Xiang carefully brought the pastry to her cherry-red lips and took a gentle bite. It was perfectly crisp, fragrant, sweet, and delicate.
"Delicious," Chen Xiang mumbled, her mouth full. She chewed gently, then popped the crumbs that had fallen into her cupped hand into her mouth.
"Flaky pastries!" Chen Yuanpeng’s eyes lit up. He shrieked and charged over. Li Qingxian laughed and held the bag up high while Chen Yuanpeng, wiping his nose with one hand, jumped to snatch it.
After teasing him for a moment, Li Qingxian gave a few of the pastries to Chen Yuanpeng and handed the rest back to Chen Xiang. Then he went to the east wing to fetch a hammer and nails. He glanced at Chen Xiang, and when she met his gaze, he walked toward the main gate.
Chen Xiang followed him.
After a few steps, Chen Xiang said, "Little brother, you’ve gotten taller again."
As she spoke, she used her hand to measure the distance. "The last time I saw you, you were only half a head taller than me. Now you’ve suddenly shot up by a whole head."
Li Qingxian smiled. "I reached the Ninth Grade, so my body has gotten stronger."
"Did you really learn Fate Skill, just like Grandfather?" Chen Xiang asked, her brow furrowing slightly.
Li Qingxian smiled. "It’s not the same thing. Grandfather had no talent for Fate Skill and just forced his way through, only ever reaching the Ninth Grade before the end. I’m only sixteen and already at the Ninth Grade. I have a long road ahead of me."
"That’s true. You’re definitely more capable than Grandfather was," Chen Xiang sighed softly.
Li Qingxian asked in a low voice, "Grandfather caused the family a lot of trouble back then, didn’t he? I don’t remember much from when I was little, and I never asked about it when I got older."
Chen Xiang glanced back, then stepped over the threshold, closing the door with a CREAK. She lowered her voice. "It’s all water under the bridge now. My mother mentioned it a few times. Basically, Grandfather squandered all the money from both our families. He was completely obsessed with Cultivating Fate back then, spending our family’s money like water. He said he was going to save the Fate Measuring Sect, but he failed in the end. He’s passed on now, so what’s past is past."
"Yes, what’s past is past. I’m grown up now. From now on, I’ll support our family," Li Qingxian said.
’Grandfather probably bankrupted the family for the Celestial Destiny Instrument,’ Li Qingxian had always suspected.
Chen Xiang looked at this Li Qingxian who seemed both familiar and yet like a stranger. She felt a mix of pride and heartache. "Little brother, you’ve really grown up. It must have been difficult for you these last few months, hasn’t it?"
Li Qingxian took the opportunity to let out a sigh. "They were hard times, it’s true. But hardship forges a person. See? I’m completely different now. Sis, you and the family don’t have to worry anymore. I’m not the person I used to be. I’ve really grown up."
"Good!" Chen Xiang nodded emphatically.
"This is my Night Guard token. You should find a place to hang it. With this, I guarantee none of the local riffraff will dare to bother you again." Li Qingxian handed the iron plaque to Chen Xiang.
"This is wonderful..." Chen Xiang murmured, gently stroking the iron plaque.